When Apple first revealed its Image Playground app last year, the company pitched the feature as an easy-to-use, AI-powered way for users to swiftly create original, personalized images. Promising creativity enabled by Apple Intelligence, the app arrived amid considerable anticipation. However, upon release, Image Playground quickly faced widespread criticism from users dissatisfied with its often simplistic, low-quality visuals.
Early feedback highlighted severe limitations and errors: one notable example circulated online showed the app generating an image of a hand with six fingers after receiving the simple request, “up close image of a hand.” Other users reported trouble getting correct images for straightforward prompts like “old man” or “flower,” fueling frustration and skepticism. Many questioned the utility of the app altogether, finding its offerings juvenile compared to rival AI image-generation software. Still, the app wasn’t without some fans, who praised it for providing simple entertainment.
In a bid to revitalize its troublesome image-generation tool, Apple recently announced at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) that Image Playground will receive a significant upgrade through integration with ChatGPT technology. The addition of ChatGPT—known for powerful generative capabilities—promises to substantially enhance the app’s image rendering quality.
The forthcoming update introduces a new range of art styles beyond the original limited offerings. Users will now have access to visuals designed in popular artistic modes such as Oil Painting, Watercolor, Vector, Anime, and Print. Perhaps most notable is the new “Any Style” option, which grants people the flexibility to thoroughly describe their desired image, allowing even more nuanced customization. These upgrades will appear under the label “ChatGPT style,” signaling the broader integration of OpenAI’s powerful generative technology.
Previously, the app’s stylistic choices were restricted to Animation, Illustration, Sketch, and Apple’s playful “Genmoji” mode.
According to Apple, when a user supplies a description for an image, the app will forward that description to ChatGPT to generate an appropriate visual. The company has underscored its commitment to user privacy, noting it will not share any data with ChatGPT without explicit user consent.
Integrating ChatGPT positions Apple’s Image Playground to compete more directly in the crowded AI generation app landscape and offers the tech giant another opportunity to attract a new base of creative users. The collaboration also represents a logical development in Apple’s ongoing partnership with OpenAI, which expanded last year when Apple brought ChatGPT’s capabilities to Siri and other first-party apps, including Writing Tools features embedded in apps like Notes and Mail.
The updated Image Playground is scheduled to roll out to users with iOS 26 later this fall.
